Universal
by Dreamflight4630
Summary: Time and time again, they met and simply fell for one another. No matter the universe. It was as if they were drawn together with a supernatural force. (PapyrusXOC one-shots with all different multiverses. OC is Tabatha from my story "Unseen" but it is not necessary to read to understand the scenarios.)
1. I Love you too Much

**Underswap AU.**

* * *

Papyrus yawned, trudging through the snow in his usual lazy manner. Normally he wouldn't be out of the house at this hour, but his human friend had been late coming home from her sentry station. She really did enjoy sitting out there in the forest, all bundled up in the soft hoodie he had made for her. It was the snowflakes, she said. She loved to stare at them for hours because it put her Soul at ease when she was homesick.

The little clearing where Tabatha had built her station was empty of her presence and the tall skeleton tilted his head in confusion. She hadn't been in town at all—he'd checked. So where was his human?

 _Human_ _friend_ , he corrected himself, rolling the toothpick he had wedged in his teeth as a temporary replacement for his usual lollipop. He and Tabatha were just friends. Never mind how much he loved the feeling of her skin against his bones, how soft and warm she was both in body and heart. He was her friend. He wouldn't go and get involved—not when he knew that it could all be Reset by the heartless universe that mocked him at every opportunity.

The tall skeleton was ready to give up and take a shortcut home when he heard the faint sound of music not too far off the path. Curious, he moved towards it and found the young woman he'd been looking for sitting under a tree and absentmindedly strumming the guitar she'd found at the dump. She was smiling up at the stony ceiling again, her eyes focused on the tiny fleck of snow that spiraled down by magic. Then, as she repeated the same strum three times, she began to sing.

" _I love you too much  
To live without you loving me back  
I love you too much_

 _Heaven's my witness and this is a fact  
I know I belong  
When I sing this song  
There's love above love and it's ours  
'cause I love you too much._"

Her voice was high and lilting, so different from how he was used to hearing it. But under her words was an undercurrent of power, of pure affection. Yet Papyrus could have sworn he detected a touch of sadness in the notes as she continued to serenade the still air, unaware of his presence.

" _I live for your touch  
I whisper your name night after night  
I love you too much  
There's only one feeling and I know it's right  
I know I belong  
When I sing this song  
There's love above love and it's ours  
'cause I love you too much._"

Her fingers flew across the instrument's strings as her voice rose in its passions.

" _Heaven knows your name I've been praying  
To have you come here by my side  
Without you a part of me's missing  
Just to make you my own, I will fight!_"

As the strumming became more complicated, Tabatha looked down at her hands, her face lit with a more melancholy smile. Her voice was softer, the sadness more pronounced as the next stanza was sung.

" _I know I belong  
When I sing this song  
There's love above love and it's ours  
'cause I love you too much._"

A tear slipped free of her lashes and traced down her cheek. Her eyes were shut as she sang out, her Soul echoing with a lonely pulse that only Papyrus could feel. Her voice actually cracked as she struggled to continue through what could only be the insistent presence of more tears.

" _I loooooooooove you too much  
I love you too much  
Heaven's my witness and this is a fact  
You live in my soul  
Your heart is my goal  
There's love above love but it's mine 'cause I love you!  
There's love above love and it's yours cause I love you!  
There's love above love and it's ours if you love me  
As much…_"

The last note echoed alone in the hollow air of the cave. Tabatha slumped against the tree she was seated under. Laughter escaped her chest, but the short, breathy chuckled sounded a lot like barely disguised sobs. She was silently crying as she laughed, tracks of salt water visible as they shone against her flushed face. All the while, her Soul ached with a pining that the still-unseen skeleton found eerily familiar. He knew what message she was sending out, loud as always, but nowhere near as cheerful.

 **I love him** were the words that the culmination of her being all but screamed at the sky. **I love him and I want him to love me. I am so lonely and I love him too much.**

Papyrus stood frozen in place, trying to justify what he was sensing and ignoring the pulses of his own Soul as it repeated a similar mantra and sought her kindness and tenderness to heal it.

 **I love her. I love her and I don't want to hide it any more. I love her too much.**

* * *

 **Hello and welcome to my one-shot collection for my Tabarus ship! The are just little things that have flitted through my head at one time or another and wrote out. Undertale has completely consumed my soul and the multiverse won't stop sending me plot bunnies! They're pretty much all gonna be unconnected one-shot chapters from a variety of AUs, but my collection mostly contains Underfell at the moment (save me, Fell Paps is too hot.) Feel free to make requests but please know that I won't be writing up new short stories on a regular basis.**

 **During November I'm doing NaNoWriMo, so this is my way to fulfill the need to read cute TabathaxPapyrus moments. Enjoy!**


	2. I don't want to talk about it Period

**Underfell AU.**

* * *

Papyrus usually prided himself on being quite capable at caring for his human's many needs: he cooked her delicious, nutritious food, was well versed in how to tend to any injuries she might have and knew how to care for her if she should fall ill. But today, he was completely stumped. Ever since Tabatha had come down from her room, she had been irritable and outrightly hostile. Considering that the household had been completely at peace for more than a week, it seemed unlikely that she would develop such a sudden hate towards the skeleton brothers for doing something wrong. And what was worse was the smell that was coming off her-a mix of constantly fresh blood and a sickly sweet aroma that resembled rotting flowers. The tall skeleton had tried to look her over for injuries, but the feisty brunette had refused to let him touch her, hence why she was currently lying facedown on the couch making absolutely wretched noises.

"BELOVED, I CANNOT HELP YOU IF YOU DO NOT TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG," Papyrus said, standing above her. She answered him with a very distinct growl that made him sigh.

Footsteps clomped down the stairs and Sans appeared, yawning and stretching. "morning," he grunted. "did you save me any break-"

The short skeleton froze in place when he saw the scene in the living room, sweat immediately springing up on his skull. "Boss what's going...what's that /smell/?"

"SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY HUMAN, BUT SHE WILL NOT TELL ME WHAT," the younger brother said flatly, crossing his arms.

"what?!" Sans sputtered, coming all the way down the steps and looking over the back of the couch at the woman lying there. Tabatha glared up at the two monsters with a fierce scowl before she rolled onto her side with a groan.

"It's nothing," she grumbled. "Just leave me alone."

"sweetheart, ya smell like /blood/," Sans pressed. "this ain't nothing."

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Tabatha twisted her head and buried it in the cushion again, her exasperated words muffled by the fabric. When she finally lifted her head again, she mumbled out a sentence that was very hard to hear.

"YOU ARE ON...YOUR PERIOD?" Papyrus repeated in confusion. "I'M AFRAID I DO NOT UNDERSTAND, LOVE."

"It's a sign of fertility in female humans," she snapped. "Once a month, if I'm not pregnant, I suffer cramps and bleed all over myself for up to an entire week."

"so... it's like a heat, but grosser?" Sans asked.

"The crud?! You guys have heats?"

"THEY HAPPEN PERIODICALLY. OUR SOULS ARE FLOODED WITH MAGIC THAT ADVERTISES TO OTHER MONSTERS THAT WE ARE HEALTHY AND CAPABLE OF REPRODUCTION. IT CAN ALSO MAKE OUR BODIES MORE SENSITIVE AND RECEPTIVE TO TOUCH."

"So that's why you get really cuddly every once in a while," Tabatha mused. "Huh. Learn something new every day."

"but how come we've never noticed this happening once a month?" the older skeleton brother asked, scratching his head.

"You guys were always patrolling before, or I was at work," the brunette groaned. "Now that sentries aren't needed, you're spending more time with me than ever."

The human female suddenly curled in on herself, grunting in pain. Both of the brothers immediately leaned closer to her in concern.

"sweetheart? you okay?"

"TABATHA, WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"

"Gaaaaaaaaah," she moaned. "I will freaking murder everything!"

Sans and Papyrus shared a glance, both feeling rather unsettled at what they had just learned and at witnessing her in pain.

"HOW CAN I HELP YOU?" Papyrus asked earnestly. "IS THERE A WAY TO MAKE IT GO ANY FASTER?"

"No," Tabatha snarled. "I just have to stick it out like a big girl and go about my day like I'm not suffering."

"UNACCEPTABLE," the tall guardsman stated simply. "YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE IT EASY. I WILL NOT HAVE THE LOVE OF MY LIFE EXPERIENCE ANY MORE DISCOMFORT THAN NECESSARY. SANS WILL LET GRILLBY KNOW YOU ARE NOT WORKING THIS WEEK."

"Paps, it's nothing I can't just endure through," his girlfriend protested. "I've done it before and I'll do it again-it just makes me feel better if I complain about it. The only thing I ask of you is that you not get offended by the mood swings."

"WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO GET FOR YOU?" Papyrus insisted. Tabatha frowned at first, but that eventually gave way to a smile that bordered on outrightly wicked.

"Chocolate," she said. "I want chocolate. And lots of it. And a massage."

"SANS, GO OUT TO THE SHOP AND GET THE SWEETS. I SHALL ATTEND TO HER PHYSICAL PAINS." The older skeleton brother promptly disappeared from view to do as he was asked. The remaining monster pulled off his gloves and dropped to his knees beside his lover. "WHERE DOES IT HURT?"

"Spine-especially on the lower back- neck, shoulders. Don't be afraid to go deep-I need that tension gone."

Papyrus needed no more prompting: he immediately settled into a rhythm, pressing his long, hard phalanges in between her shoulder blades and rubbing circles into her flesh. The young woman let a low sound of relief as his hands glided up and down her spine, pressing hard on the bones and taking the occasional detour to knead at the muscles in her shoulders. He was tireless, giving every segment of her body equal attention until his girlfriend was limp and relaxed and even then he did not stop, changing from a deep pressure to gentle stroking motions. Sans popped in to deliver the truffles he'd managed to acquire, but he quickly left, clearly uncomfortable at the strong emotions that were surging through both their Souls. Neither of them minded him, just enjoying the glow of contentment that covered them. Every once in a while, Tabatha would tense up again as pain wracked her insides, but Papyrus patiently soothed the aches away with tender attention.

"Thanks Pap," she sighed as he coaxed out a kink in her spine. "I owe you big after my shark week is over."

"NO NEED, DEAREST," he replied, pressing a skeleton kiss to the top of her head. "I AM HAPPY TO DO THIS FOR YOU WITHOUT ANY NEED FOR REWARD."

"Let me know when your next heat hits. I will cuddle the ever-living crud out of you."

The tall monster's skull flushed a brilliant red at the thought of that. The two of them, so close to one another, his bones warm and oh-so-ready for a comforting touch...it would be heavenly.

"I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO IT," he breathed in her ear, taking the time to nuzzle his cheek against hers. She leaned into his touch, making a noise that he knew was her human equivalent of a purr. Yes, once the pain left her, they would truly be in paradise.

* * *

 **I think every girl has had this fantasy about being waited on during the monthly shark week. I decided to make it underfell because gosh dangit, he's probably the hottest AU version of Papyrus.**


	3. Blanket Dens and Comforted Souls

**Underswap AU (unconnected to chapter 1)**

* * *

Papyrus knew it was going to be one of those days the second he rolled out of bed. Those days were the worst of them all: his lazy façade had no power to fool anyone regarding his mood.

To keep his bro from finding out, he had simply pretended to be asleep when he was called down for breakfast and hadn't moved until Sans had gone out to patrol, figuring his lazy brother would catch up once he realized he "overslept". Going downstairs had been a chore and he couldn't muster up the force of will to eat anything at all. He just sat on the couch, feeling miserable.

It was never a good time when he felt like this-like his Soul had a big tear in it and a black hole had formed in the hollow space inside, sucking away all energy and feeling until all that was left was a bitter husk and the faintest sense of self-loathing so that he knew he wasn't dead yet.

It was noon when Tabatha returned from her shift at Muffet's café and she picked up on the mood instantly.

"Hey Paps," she said softly. "You feeling okay?" The tall skeleton only released a heavy sigh, not even looking at his almost-girlfriend as he felt the black hole's gravity grow even stronger inside his rib cage.

"You want me to make you a blanket den?"

The question snapped Papyrus out of his daze and he looked at her in confusion.

"blanket den?" he repeated.

"It's easier to show you then to tell you. Lay down on the floor, on your front."

The lanky skeleton slid off the couch slowly and did as he was told, laying facedown on the rug. He heard Tabatha's footsteps leave the room return before he felt soft fabric descend over his body, the weight of multiple blankets and comforters settling over him. He liked this feeling, he decided. It made him feel sheltered, safer-just a bit.

"You good now?" his human asked. Papyrus searched his feelings before shaking his head.

"Okay. Scoot over."

The blanket nest was lifted off him for a moment before he felt Tabatha's warm, soft body slide in beside his own. He turned his head so he could see her as she snuggled up in the little den she had created for them.

"There we go," she proclaimed with a smile. Papyrus should have been happy -he knew he should have-but all he could feel was the darkness in his Soul. It whispered to him that garbage like him didn't deserve her honest effort. It would be so much better for her if he didn't exist. She wouldn't be inconvenienced by his mood any more, wouldn't have him depending on her affections night and day and-

"Oi, you stop that right now." Her words once again broke through to him and Papyrus wearily focused on her.

"No more if that self-depreciating stuff," she ordered. "Come here."

When he made no effort to do so, she came over to him, situating them so his skull was resting on her chest.

"Don't think," she told him. "Just feel. Just feel me breathe. Just feel my heart going."

What difference would it make? But he did it anyway, figuring it couldn't hurt. After several minutes, a deep exhaustion swept over him-the kind that came after enduring those terrible feelings for hours at a time. Tabatha's gentle words vibrating through his skull, the feel of her chest rising and falling with each breath, the warmth her body radiated and the rhythm of her pulse lured him into a trance beyond the depression, beyond the self-hate.

Papyrus let his eyesockets scroll over her face, at her serene dark eyes, at the streaks of orange and blue she had put on opposite sides of her face, at her soft, smiling lips...he took advantage of this last feature by placing his teeth against them in a kiss of gratitude. He did not have to say his thanks to know she understood; she just knew; she always knew.

* * *

 **I've seen a couple of fics where Swap Pap comforts a depressed reader and I wanted to give him a chance to be comforted instead. Plus, these blanket piles are really something I do when I'm not feeling up to life and it's really nice.**


	4. Domestic

**Mafiatale AU (or Mobtale, Undermafia, whatever the heck this AU is called)**

* * *

The door creaked as it opened, but that was of little concern to the well-dressed skeletons who strode inside-there was nobody in this house that wanted to hurt them.

Sans and Papyrus shrugged out of their long outercoats and hung their fedoras on the hatrack, both tired after a long day of work for the Boss. Don Asgore had been increasing security around their supply warehouses after a breach by an unknown assailant and all hands were on deck until something happened.

"man, i'd go ta Grillby's, but i think i'm just gonna crash on the couch again instead," the older of the two brothers yawned.

"YOU HAVE A BED SANS. WHY DO YOU INSIST UPON SLEEPING ON THE COUCH? I'M STARTING TO SUSPECT YOU GOING OUT AT NIGHT WHEN I AM ASLEEP OR...OCCUPIED."

Sans' permanent grin widened at that statement.

"speakin' of occupied...gonna go say hi to the missus? I bet she missed you."

Papyrus ignored his brother's suggestive teasing, taking off and retying his scarf so it was more presentable.

"IF YOU MUST KNOW, YES, I AM," he replied, a tad bit smug. "IT'S TOO BAD YOU DON'T HAVE SOMEONE TO 'OCCUPY' YOU."

"eh, i'm too lazy to make a relationship actually work like you two do," the stocky monster shrugged. "just glad you got a dame for yourself. you really deserve someone as great as her."

Papyrus all but swelled with pride at the praise of his wife, With an audible wink, the tall skeleton ascended one of the twin staircases leader from the mansion's foyer. On the second floor, he travelled down a hallway and opened the door leading to one of the many offices in the house. Seated at the desk was a young woman with brunette hair twisted up into a tight updo and held in place by a larg rose pin. Her bangs were loose from her hairstyle and were tucked behind her left ear instead of dangling in front of her eye as they tended to do.

As silently as he could-which was very quiet (the Great Papyrus was not the best sharpshooter/assassin in the Mafia for nothing!)-he snuck up on the woman before wrapping her in a tight embrace around the shoulders.

"GOOD EVENING DEAREST," he stage-whispered. The human had jolted at the initial contact but leaned into the hold on her when she realized who it was.

"Evening Papyrus," she replied with a wide smile on her painted lips. "I didn't know you'd be back so early."

"TABATHA, LOVE, IT'S NEARLY ELEVEN."

The brunette seemed surprised by this and glanced at the clock to confirm her husband's words before she chuckled.

"Well...I got lost in the wonderful world of paperwoek and alibis again it seems," she admitted wryly. "Good thing the Great Papyrus was here to rescue me from it."

The monster planted a skeleton kiss on his wife's cheek before sweeping her up bridal style and carrying her from the room, amid laughs and the occasion squeak of surpirse when he shifted her in his arms.

Their room was not far from the offices-a secluded place across the hall from Sans-and once they crossed the threshold and the door was locked, both of them immediately began to release their pent-up affection in the form of many long kisses.

"I suppose we should go to bed then?" Tabatha inquired teasingly with a raised brow that was nulled by the red flush across her cheeks.

"SOMETHING TELLS ME THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO SLEEP JUST YET, MRS. SKELETON," Papyrus whispered slyly in her ear. "IS THERE SOMETHING...YOU WOULD RATHER BE DOING?"

"You'll never get it out of me," the human hissed, playing along.

"OH! THAT WILL NOT DO, NOT AT ALL," the skeleton proclaimed with a wicked grin. Taking his wife and laying her out on the bed, he undid his scarf. "IT APPEARS THAT I WILL HAVE TO EMPLOY MY EXPERT SKILLS WITH PERSUASION!"

Bending over, Papyrus pressed his forehead to hers before he kissed her again.

* * *

 **Mafiatale is so beautiful and I love it. My brain won't stop spewing ideas. I actually have an entire plotline for a fic, but I doubt I'll actually write it. Also, for anyone who wants to know, this is probably the closest to any actual lemons I will ever write. And it's still fluff.**


	5. Wrecked

**Underfell AU. WARNING: angst ahead!**

* * *

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The knife stuck a steady beat as Tabatha viciously swung it at the thick tree trunk in the forest, her breath escaping in small puffs of white. She didn't acknowledge the cold, too full of hot anger to care.

Stupid Papyrus. What did he know?! Just because she'd gone somewhere without telling him didn't mean he had to tear the whole freaking town apart looking for her, much less scream at her the second she walked back through the door!

The brunette wasn't sure how or when, but the thing had quickly devolved into a shouting match, with each screaming at the other and scaring Sans awake in the living room. The shorter skeleton had promptly disappeared once he realized what was happening, getting out of the potential battlefield before he could get caught in the crossfire. But it had been when the tall skeleton had grabbed her by the face, forcing her to look at him and seeming unaware of how his sharp fingertips were cutting into her jaw that she had just snapped. Knowing one of his shoulders was weaker than the other, she had body-slammed her boyfriend into the wall and wrenched the arm almost clean free of its socket into painful dislocation and stalked off into the slow, leaving her jacket behind.

She had fled to the forest, knowing the way to a hidden cove where she could be alone. It was here that she'd drawn her weapon and began her assault on the tree, each stroke stripping away bark and spreading sap across the wounds.

After a harsh downwards strike, the blade lodged in deep and refused to budge. Tabatha took the moment to lean against the trunk, breathing deeply. After determining she would not be getting her knife back any time soon, she turned around and flopped to the snowy earth, staring up at the cavern ceiling.

Now that her energy was spent and her anger had mostly been taken out on the poor nature, she turned her thoughts back to the argument, going over what had happened. Her first instinct was to get made at Papyrus again, to blame him for starting it, for overreacting. But the more she thought about it, the more the guilt began to weigh heavily on her Soul. He may have overreacted...but so had she. She had almost pulled his arm off.

It wasn't the first time the two had fought, nor was it the first time it had come to blows, but this was the first time where neither had stopped when they reached that line where it became physical. But Tabatha was beginning to realize that she had shattered that boundary, effectively breaking the trust between them. That fragile, tender trust that she had worked so hard to gain.

The tears came, thick and heavy, hot as her rage had been, but swiftly becoming frigid in the frost air.

" _We clawed, we chained, our hearts in vain_  
 _We jumped, never asking why_ "

The words came unbidden, uninhibited by the tears...for now.

" _We kissed, I fell under your spell_  
 _A love no one could deny_ "

When was the last time she had done thing? Sung the pain out until she was left completely worn out? If she ever needed it, it was now.

" _Don't you ever say I just walked away_  
 _I will always want you_  
 _I can't live a lie, running for my life_  
 _I will always want you_

 _I came in like a wrecking ball!_  
 _I never hit so hard in love_  
 _All I wanted was to break your walls_  
 _All you ever did was wreck me!_

 _Yeah, you wreck me…_ "

There was the faint crunching of snow, but Tabatha knew that no one would be able to find her this far from the path. At most, her voice would sound like a faint whisper from a ghost, even if they had excellent hearing. There were few monsters who would dare come into the woods this far anyway for fear of what could be lurking there. Papyrus was one of those few, but the footsteps were too soft to be the guardsman's harsh marching.

" _I put you high up in the sky_  
 _And now, you're not coming down_  
 _It slowly turned, you let me burn_  
 _And now, we're ashes on the ground_

 _Don't you ever say I just walked away_  
 _I will always want you_  
 _I can't live a lie, running for my life_  
 _I will always want you_ "

Materializing behind one of the trees in the clearing, Sans cautiously peered around the trunk to see his brother's girlfriend lying flat in the snow in nothing but a tank top and jeans, singing to the ceiling. The stocky skeleton wasn't sure what to make of it until he heard her burst into the harsh chorus.

" _I came in like a wrecking ball_  
 _I never hit so hard in love_  
 _All I wanted was to break your walls_  
 _All you ever did was wreck me_

 _I came in like a wrecking ball_  
 _Yeah, I just closed my eyes and swung_  
 _Left me crouching in a blaze and fall_  
 _All you ever did was break me…_ "

Her voice then became heartbroken and soft, startling her sole listener at the complete one-eighty.

" _Yeah, you wreck me…_ "

Tabatha sat up, curling in on herself, the sobs held back in her chest beginning to interfere with the music.

"I never meant to start a war  
I just wanted you to let me in  
And instead of using force  
I guess I should've let you in…"

The sobs began to get stronger, more pronounced as her voice began to die.

" _I never meant to start a war_  
 _I just wanted you to let me in_  
 _I guess I should've let you in…_ "

There were several seconds where the only sound was of the young woman's breathing. Then the song returned, the words flat and hollow.

" _Don't you ever say I just walked away_  
 _I will always want you_ "

And the passion was back. That terribly painful passion.

" _I came in like a wrecking ball!_  
 _I never hit so hard in love!_  
 _All I wanted was to break your walls!_  
 _All you ever did was wreck me!_

 _I came in like a wrecking ball!_  
 _Yeah, I just closed my eyes and swung!_  
 _Left me crouching in a blaze and fall!_  
 _All you ever did was wreck me!_

 _Yeah, you, you wreck me!_ "

Sans had heard enough: he was gonna go find his little brother and he was going to get this fixed. He was gone as Tabatha's eyes closed, her exhaustion hitting her very suddenly as the cold began to seep into her core. The last words were barely a whisper.

" _Yeah, you, you wreck me…_ "

* * *

Papyrus was becoming increasingly concerned the longer he combed through the woods, looking for his beloved. The second she had attacked him, he knew that they both had gone too far, but he had let her go nevertheless, hoping that her rage would cool and she would return home without any further incident. His worry had begun when he noticed that she had forgotten her coat, meaning she would get cold very quickly and had only escalated when she hadn't come back after the first half hour. It was then that Sans had arrived, telling his brother all that he had seen out in the forest and where she'd gone. The tall skeleton had risked another ten minutes of waiting before he began his search in earnest, now genuinely fearing for her safety.

Why did his human have to be so good at hiding?! It was doing nothing to soothe his nerves, even if it did mean that a monster attack would be nearly impossible. But she had now been out in the cold for more than an hour and the magic that they'd agreed to infuse in her system for emergency survival would be nearly depleted. Her body would be on its own against the elements if it wasn't already and she could very easily freeze to death.

The fear had almost reached heights of distress when he caught the scent of tree sap. Though it was frozen now, it hadn't been there for long. Encouraged, the guardsman raced towards the smell and then...there she was. Spread eagle in the snow, covered in a fine powder, Tabatha breathed deeply, clearly unconscious. Papyrus ran his hands over her body and was alarmed to find that her body head seemed less than usual. Sitting her up, he unwrapped his scarf with shaking fingers and coiled it loosely on her shockingly pale torso before he pulled her into his arms and began to race back home, determined to get there before any more harm could befall his beloved human.

* * *

 **Not every day in Underfell is gonna be a good one and when Fell!Tabatha and Fell!Paps fight, it's not pretty. They're both naturally rough people and could tear Snowdin apart if they fought outside their home.**

 **Also, why are these one-shots pretty much all songfics? I have three more chapters already written out and they're all centered around songs.**


	6. Glad You Came

**Underswap AU. Sequel to "Love You too Much". Song used is the Boyce Avenue acoustic cover of _Glad You Came_ by The Wanted.**

* * *

Tabatha hummed happily to herself as she trotted down the forest road. Papyrus was late home and Sans had asked her to check if he had fallen asleep at his sentry station again and to bring him back for dinner. The human was happy to run such an errand for the shorter of the skeleton brothers and had gone out into the cold with a smile and an extra lollipop just in case.

When she got to the sentry station, she was surprised to see that it was unoccupied with a fresh set of footprints leading into the woods towards her own checkpoint. Pushing her hands into her pockets, she trudged off the path and took the short way to her destination.

She hadn't yet cleared the trees before she heard the faint sound of a guitar—her guitar. Curious, she paused on the edge of the clearing and took in the scene before her.

Well, Papyrus was here all right—tall and covered in bright orange fabric. He was sitting on the edge of her little station, phalanges picking across the guitar strings in a lazy sort of manner. He stopped fiddling with the instrument and repositioned his fingers again before he began to strum...and sing. His voice was low and smooth, none of its usual drawl or rasp in it, like the honey he so loved to drink.

" _The sun goes down_  
 _The stars come out_  
 _And all that counts_  
 _Is here and now_  
 _My universe will never be the same_  
 _I'm glad you came…_ "

There was a breath of silence...and then he continued to play, an invisible drumbeat and bassline sounding throughout the woods, no doubt the result of his magic. Papyrus' eyesockets were closed with their magical bone lids as he continued the song, his manner still casual, like he didn't know he was being watched...

" _You cast a spell on me, spell on me_  
 _You hit me like the sky fell on me, fell on me_  
 _And I decided you look well on me, well on me_  
 _So let's go somewhere no-one else can see, you and me_  
 _Turn the lights out now_  
 _Now I'll take you by the hand_  
 _Hand you another drink_  
 _Drink it if you can_  
 _Can you spend a little time?Time is slipping away_  
 _away from us so stay,_  
 _Stay with me I can make you glad you came_ "

There was a beat before his voice returned, a fervent passion to his words now, pulsing with deep affection.

" _The sun goes down_  
 _The stars come out_  
 _And all that counts_  
 _Is here and now_  
 _My universe will never be the same_  
 _I'm glad you came_  
 _I'm glad you came_ "

As there came the instrumental bridge, the lanky skeleton slid off the sentry station's front and stood still with his back to the human. Then he twisted around, still strumming but with his eyes on his one-person audience.

" _You cast a spell on me, spell on me_  
 _You hit me like the sky fell on me, fell on me_  
 _And I decided you look well on me, well on me_  
 _So let's go somewhere no-one else can see, you and me_  
 _Turn the lights out now!I'll take you by the hand_  
 _Hand you another drink_  
 _So drink it if you can_  
 _Can we spend a little time?Time is slipping away_  
 _away from us so stay,_  
 _Stay with me I can make you glad you came!_ "

Papyrus was blushing as he let his eye ignite and his magic formed ghostly hands that slowly took the guitar from his real ones, all while maintaining the music without break.

" _The sun goes down!_  
 _The stars come out!_  
 _And all that counts_  
 _Is here and now!_  
 _My universe will never be the same_  
 _I'm glad you came_  
 _I'm glad you came!_ "

Hands now free, the tall monster approached Tabatha, his face flushed and hers completely astonished. He took her hands in his own as he stared at her with a loving smile

" _I'm glad you came_ "

One bony hand trailed up to cup her cheek

" _So glad you came!_ "

His phalanges trailed down the side of her face again to curl around the lock of orange-dyed hair and he brought the other hand he was still holding to his teeth in a skeleton kiss.

" _I'm glad you came_ "

His form was soft for someone made of bones as he pulled the young woman into his arms, cradling her like she was the most precious thing in the world. His words were an earnest murmur now, like a man to his lover.

" _I'm glad you came_  
 _The sun goes down_  
 _The stars come out_  
 _And all that counts_  
 _Is here and now_  
 _My universe will never be the same_  
 _I'm glad you came_  
 _I'm glad you came…_ "

The music died and Papyrus pressed his nasal ridge to the top of her Tabatha's head as his fingers caressed her spine. The human's face was bright red as she slowly brought her arms up to grip the back of his hoodie.

"P-papy," she breathed. "I...I didn't know that you felt...this way."

"been feelin' it for a long time kiddo," the skeleton answered, his voice muffled against her scalp. "just never had the, heh, guts to come out and say it. not until i heard you singing your Soul out for me."

Tabatha had thought she had been blushing. Apparently she was wrong because now she was blushing properly.

"You heard that?"

"every note, princess. and then some."

"I-I'm sorry I didn't tell you!" she blurted. "I just didn't want to put you on the spot and make our home life potentially tense! Sans doesn't deserve to live with a constantly awkward environment! If you hadn't felt the same—"

Papyrus pulled away just enough so he could cradle the human's face in his palms, smiling crookedly.

"so selfless," he murmured. "you're allowed to worry about yourself, you know. i know it'd tear you up if i didn't feel the same, but...how's about we don't worry about the what-ifs? i love ya back and that's what's real."

Tabatha chuckled weakly before she began to swipe at her eyes, denying the tears that were gathering there the opportunity to fall she sniffled as the tall skeleton pressed his teeth against her forehead and then threw her arms around him, trembling against his frame.

"shh, it's okay princess," Papyrus soothed, stroking her hair as she clung to him. "it's okay."

"I love you Papyrus!" she said thickly, muffled by his hoodie. "I love you so much I can't stand it! It hurt so much to hold back! So much!"

"i know honey. i know. i love you too. i'm never gonna let you go."


	7. Comfort

**Underfell AU**

* * *

Papyrus very slowly opened the door to his home, almost unaware of the action. His Soul was shaking, feeling on the edge of cracking. For a moment, he wondered why and then he felt the dust, gritty in the joints of his fingers.

"Welcome home," he heard his girlfriend call from the kitchen where she was making him so sort of food to treat him after a long day. It was customary that he respond, but the tall skeleton could barely get the door closed, much less actually articulate words in his current state.

The long silence from the kitchen alerted him to the fact that the human was onto him. When she came out into the entry hall, she took in his haggard appearance and immediately strode over to take his face into her hands. Her dark eyes flickered over him with concern before she lowered her arms to take his hands and pull him over to the couch.

"What happened?" Tabatha asked, her tone low.

Papyrus just stared at her, not sure how to start, uncertain whether he should share it with her. But then he felt her pulling off his gloves and saw how her eyes widened when a small plume of dust curled into the air at the motion. After a brief silence, she dared to speak.

"What did they do?"

"...THEY ACCUSED ME OF BEING WEAK, OF GOING SOFT…AND THEY ATTACKED ME, SURE THEY COULD TAKE ME DOWN...THEY WERE WRONG."

His rib cage felt too tight, his Soul ached with an unfamiliar pain. He didn't even realize he'd begun to cry until his girlfriend's warm fingers began to wipe away the tears with gentle strokes.

"What are you feeling right now?" she asked.

"I DON'T KNOW," he choked out. "I...I HAVE NEVER FELT THIS WAY BEFORE. NEVER HAVE I REGRETTED TAKING A LIFE...BUT WE ARE AT PEACE NOW; HUMAN FRISK CONVINCED HIS MAJESTY TO REPEAL THE LAW. MURDER IS NO LONGER SANCTIONED…"

"Was it murder? Or were you defending yourself from a murderer?"

He couldn't answer. Oh stars he could barely breathe!

Sudden warmth wrapped around him, smothering the panic. He came back to himself and realized he was clinging to his girlfriend quite tightly and she was returning the embrace without hesitation. She was whispering an endless stream of platitudes, holding him so close he could feel her pulse against his bodies.

"Shhhh," she soothed. "Come on Pap, lean into me. Let me reach you. I got you."

The brunette scooted off the couch, bringing the tall skeleton with her to the floor. She adjusted her grip so she was cradling his skull against her clavicle, humming gently. When his breathing had settled from pants to a more structured—though still shaky—pattern of inhalation and exhalation, she gently began to sing to him, her voice low and vibrating against his bones.

" _Do you know what it's like when_  
 _You're scared to see yourself?_  
 _Do you know what it's like when_  
 _You wish you were someone else?_  
 _Who didn't need your help to get by..._  
 _Do you know what it's like_  
 _To wanna surrender?_ "

He knew this song: this was one of those rock songs she sang when she was feeling more somber or was comforting Sans after one of his panic attacks. The way she crooned the words so gently, it was hard to believe that it belonged to the genre at all.

" _I don't wanna feel like this tomorrow_  
 _I don't wanna live like this today_  
 _Make me feel better!_  
 _I wanna feel better!_  
 _Stay with me here now_  
 _And never surrender..._  
 _Never surrender…_ "

Magic welled up on the edge of his sockets again, forming his glowing tears. Papyrus held them back, his grip on his human tightening as he tried to ground himself.

" _Do you know what it's like when_  
 _You're not who you wanna be?_  
 _Do you know what it's like to_  
 _Be your own worst enemy?_  
 _Who sees the things in me I can't hide..._  
 _Do you know what it's like to wanna surrender?_ "

He couldn't help it: the magical tears slipped from his control. His whole being was trembling and flooded with emotions that were so jumbled it was hard for him to find the reason why he was crying—whether it was from relief or pain. It almost seemed like Tabatha was taking his thoughts, hearing what his Soul was crying out and was translating it into plain and simple words that captured the essence of this moment so perfectly.

" _I don't wanna feel like this tomorrow_  
 _I don't wanna live like this today_  
 _Make me feel better!_  
 _I wanna feel better!_  
 _Stay with me here now_  
 _And never surrender_ "

Papyrus caught himself whispering the lyrics, like a haunted echo. The action seemed to lighten the pressure inside his rib cage as the tears kept flowing.

" _Make me feel better_  
 _You make me feel better_  
 _You make me feel better_  
 _Put me back together!_ "

Tabatha changed her grip so she could pull him closer, her lips brushing his brow as she ran her warm hands down his vertebrae. Her voice was shaky with suppressed emotion as her volume dropped to a near whisper.

" _I don't wanna feel like this tomorrow_  
 _I don't wanna live like this today_  
 _Make me feel better!_  
 _I need to feel better!_  
 _Stay with me here now_  
 _And never surrender…_ "

Papyrus felt his girlfriend's fingers tenderly wiping away the wetness on his cheeks as she pressed a kiss to the top of his skull.

" _Put me back together…_ "

The lanky skeleton found the strength to prop himself up on one arm so he could look his human straight in the eyes. Those dark orbs stared right back, filled with affection and an empathetic sadness at seeing him in pain.

" _Never surrender..._ "

He pressed their foreheads together as he joined her for the last few lines of the song, his voice low and raspy from trying to contain all his feelings.

" _Make me feel better!_  
 _You make me feel better!_  
 _Stay with me here now_  
 _And never surrender._ "

The pair rested in silence, eyes closed as they basked in the glow of each other's company. With their closeness, it didn't take long for them to start kissing.

"THANK YOU, BELOVED," Papyrus murmured. "YOU ARE ALWAYS SO PERCEPTIVE TO MY NEEDS."

"It's just a small repayment for all you've done for me," the human answered. "I'm sorry that you've had to suffer the way you have."

"IT IS SIMPLY PART OF OUR LIFE—OR WAS UNTIL VERY RECENTLY."

"Don't just blow it off," Tabatha reprimanded. "That doesn't change that you've gone through a lot and didn't deserve most of what happened in the beginning. But it's over now and there's some adjustments that need to happen... I'm just glad you told me; you aren't always good at doing that."

The guardsman gently nuzzled his forehead against her, bare phalanges sliding through her hair. There were no words for how he felt, at least not words that he was comfortable articulating. But she knew...and he thanked the stars that she knew.

* * *

 **Just a reminder, this is open to requests if you have them. Not every AU has a charactertized Tabatha yet, but I am willing to try just about anything! The main 3 universes (Fell, Swap and Tale) are the best developed though I do have some more ideas for Mafiatale and Swapfell.**


	8. Risky

**Swapfell AU**

 **Warning: this is not a happy story—and this is the toned down version of what is in my head. The full version would be M-rated due to violence, unhealthy relationships, abuse and disturbing imagery. I really wasn't sure if I'd post this considering how different it is from the other one-shots here, but I was in one of those author-moods where someone has to suffer or the darkness will never leave my soul and send me into the pit myself.**

 **If you are triggered by any of the things above, there are references to it below even if there isn't graphic description. I will try and have something fluffy up soon.**

* * *

Papyrus winced as the wind blew through his exposed ribs, the cracks in the bones stinging as they continually dripped marrow. He supposed he deserved it: he had disobeyed a direct order from his brother by not staying at his station for an extra hour. But, exhausted and not thinking of the consequences, Papyrus had gone home at the usual time for a nap before dinner. He'd been harshly awoken by Sans' sharp bone attacks before his older brother had ripped off his shredded leather jacket and pushed the taller, wounded skeleton out into the snow to "think about what he'd done."

Footsteps crunched nearby and the tall skeleton glanced up to see his—no, _their_ —human approaching with grocery bags on her arms. When she caught sight of him huddled on the porch, her eyes widened and she rushed over.

"Paps," she breathed. Setting down her bags, she took off her snow jacket and wrapped it around his shoulders, pressing her warm hands against his cheekbones. "What did he do?"

"heh, 's my fault," he mumbled, not looking her in the eye. "i disobeyed mi'lord... it's just the natural order of things that i should be punished."

Tabatha's grip tightened and Papyrus felt a stone sink into his nonexistent gut. Oh no, she was ticked.

"What would you like for me to do about it?" she asked, her voice like ice. Papyrus didn't immediately answer. He'd have to be careful with his words because she would take anything he said in anger or hurt as permission to take...drastic measures. He could still so vividly remember when he learned how... _protective_ she could be.

* * *

 _It had been a typical day: he messed up and Sans would punish him. It had just been a bit rougher than usual, that's all. He'd gone to Muffet's for some spider cider and had hoped to have a nice conversation with Tabatha. But he only caught one glimpse of her_ — _her back to him as she walked into the back room. She hadn't come back out and Papyrus had been resigned to suffer in silence. When he did go home, he wasn't nearly as drunk as he wanted to be and the bruises from the crop were still throbbing even after the pastry he'd eaten._

 _When he walked in the door, though, he something was wrong: the entry hall was a shattered mess with furniture and dishes littered on the floor. There was also a smear of blood on one of the entryways to the living room. Then he'd heard the sound of his brother's riding crop against bone._

 _The living room was in an equally destroyed state, but it was what he saw in the center of the room that made his Soul go cold in fear: the human was on top of his brother, the crop in her hands as she tapped it idly against the floor._

 _"So you don't like being hit?" she asked in a venomous tone. "Hm. Then why do you do it to your brother?"_

 _Sans caught sight of his brother from his position on the floor and immediately tried to regain control of the situation._

 _"THIS IS NO WAY TO BEHAVE, HUMAN," he snarled. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO SUCH THINGS TO THE MAGNIFICENT AND MALICIOUS SANS! RELEASE YOUR MASTER AT ONCE!"_

 _"Ugh, you don't get it, you edgy drama queen," Tabatha spat, bringing the crop under the shorter skeleton's chin. "You aren't my master. You never will be my master. My love belongs to only one...and he is the only one who can save you now."_

 _Tabatha had looked at him with such emotionless eyes that Papyrus flinched._

 _"Master, what shall I do with him?" she asked simply. Without thinking, he told her to make Sans quiet_ — _his incessant shouting was aggravating his headache. Without hesitation, the brunette pulled off her boot, removed her sock and then shoved said article into Sans' mouth, holding his jaws shut with her hands._

 _"Would you like me to punish him?" she continued, ignoring the monster writhing under her. "Your wish is my will."_

 _The fear building inside him reached a peak and he stepped back._

 _"Wh-why are you doing this?" he blurted._

 _"He hurt you. I want to hurt him back. But if you don't want it, I will leave him be and tend to you instead."_

 _Papyrus had stumbled away in a hazy panic at that point and when he'd calmed down enough to brave returning, he'd found her in the exact same position, still waiting obediently. When he told her to let his brother up, she complied and rushed to try easing his pains, but_ — _too freaked out by what she had done_ — _he refused her. That seemed to snap her out of it, as she immediately fled to her room. Papyrus heard her crying later that night._

* * *

She hadn't left her room for two days after that, and had plead for the taller skeleton's forgiveness. When he eventually gave it, she snapped back into her usual cheerful self and did not mention it afterwards. But then, when he came back into Muffet's with a fresh cut on his cheekbone, the terrifying rage returned and Sans hadn't been able to look at the young woman without flinching for two weeks. It was at this point that she convinced Muffet to magically dye half her head burnt orange —Papyrus' color—to show where her loyalties and affections lied.

As time had gone on and a few more... incidents passed, Tabatha had gotten better at controlling her yandere tendencies and now waited for explicit permission before she did anything in a possessive rage. Papyrus was still disturbed by it—he'd never been given such power before and was scared to let her loose for fear that his lord would punish him all the more fiercely. But at the same time...it was flattering to know that she cared so passionately for him.

"What would you like for me to do to him?" she asked again, this time genuine concern and worry bleeding into her angry words.

"i...dunno," he mumbled, hissing when the wind picked up again. "human...please...help me feel better."

Tabatha wrapped him up in an embrace before opening the door and guiding him inside and up the stairs. As soon as he was sat down on his mattresses, she began to clean the cuts, kissing him every time he gasped in pain at the antiseptic. When she had finished, she took his skull in her hands and brought it to her chest.

"I'm sorry you're hurting, Master," she murmured, tone melancholy.

"stay with me," he whispered back. "hold me."

She pulled the tall skeleton into her embrace and began to stroke his neck in a soothing manner. She began to hum as she laid them down on the bed, being quiet for Papyrus' sake more than anything. The song was one she sang quite often, about a mother having lost her child and seeking revenge on the killer. But despite the harshness of the words, there was nothing but raw affection and devotion in her tone.

This human would do anything for him. And that scared Papyrus as much as it comforted him.

* * *

 **So it just hit me the other day that I haven't actually replied to anyone's comments here! I am SO sorry; I was kinda on autopilot transferring these over from my phone and Drive. Here is a quick shoutout to all of the reviewers so far!**

 **vixenthief! UltimateGamer101! TabbyCat! Guest (11/22/16)! Kagayaku Hoshi-chan! Ksanj! And MachUPB! Thanks so much for your words!**


	9. Behind Closed Doors

**Underfell Pirate AU. Fell Paps + Pirate attire...*swoons a little***

* * *

Everyone was tense as they watched the ship draw near. The black flag with the jagged skull emblem fluttered in an almost proud sort of way. Though it was not unheard of to see this ship in harbour, it still made everyone in town nervous.

The gangplank went down and the elder of the skeleton pirates stepped off the boat to shore. Sans was the more familiar of the pair, but that did not make him welcome: he had been known to start fights and terrorize the local women from the second he arrived until the moment he left again. But there was one person on the island who commanded his respect: Lady Tabatha Strong, Duchess and ruler of the prosperous land and its people. Rumor had it that she had managed to beat the skeleton at his own game and ensured that he was never rude to her again.

Even now, the stocky monster bowed to the Lady—a bit more dramatic than necessary, but a sign of submission nonetheless.

"pleasure as always ta see ya, sweetheart," he drawled. "miss me?"

"I did not miss the fights you always start up," came the curt answer. It made the pirate chuckled as he straightened up again.

"you always know just what to say, dontcha your ladyship?" he asked rhetorically with a smirk.

"SANS!" The voice cut through the air like a whip crack and everyone —even the skeleton —flinched at the sound of it. "THIS SHIP IS NOT CLEANED AS I ORDERED IT TO BE. PERFORM YOUR DUTIES _BEFORE_ YOU GO ASHORE, YOU LAZY BONES!"

Almost every eye moved to see when the captain of the fearsome pirate's ship stepped onto the gangplank. More than seven feet tall and wrapped in black, raggedy clothes stood the Great and Terrible Papyrus, one of the most feared swashbucklers in any sea. His face was set with his characteristic scowl that made every observer drop their gaze on instinct.

"right on it Boss," the shorter brother sighed. "i'll leave the two of you to do business then, yeah?"

There were no further words exchanged as Sans swiftly returned to the ship, leaving his brother with Lady Tabatha and the crowd. Papyrus did not bow as his brother did, but instead folded his arms and regarded her coldly while she returned the glare with equal force. Reaching a silent agreement, the two set off towards the manor the Duchess called home. It was their custom to do this whenever the monster pirates docked: the Lady and the Captain going to her home and remaining there undisturbed until the ship was ready to set sail again. The servants took this as an opportunity for time off work, so nobody ever really knew what happened when the two were alone together. But judging off their chilly reception of one another, it could not be very pleasant.

* * *

Papyrus smirked when the door to the manor was opened and the maid cleaning the foyer let out a small shriek of terror. Tabatha ignored the poor girl as she made her way to the stairs, taking the path that would lead to her chambers fastest. The servants downstairs were scurrying by the time they had reached the door, desperate to vacate the house before they were ordered to do so by the Pirate Captain himself; he'd done it before in the most fearsome way possible and there was little doubt he'd do it again.

The pair crossed over the threshold to Tabatha's rooms, the door closing behind them. It was then that he could wait no longer: with a sharp yank, Papyrus caught hold of Tabatha's wrist and pulled her against his chest, a low sound rumbling through his rib cage. The Duchess gasped when she found herself pressed to him, but had no time to comment on it as her mouth was suddenly very occupied with kissing the skeleton who held her.

Deep purrs came from the tall monster as he basked in the pleasure of their kiss. But the human needed air, so he pulled away after a mere minute of enjoying her lips.  
"You missed me a lot, huh?" Lady Tabatha asked cheekily, though her face was still pink.

"SEVEN MONTHS IS REACHING THE END OF MY SELF-CONTROL," was the answer she got before she was getting kissed again, this time all over her face and neck as Papyrus tried to reacquaint himself with her features.

"You didn't write to me," Tabatha commented, her tone sad and slightly accusing. "I've been waiting this whole time...but you never sent word."

"I AM TRULY SORRY FOR THAT, DEAREST," he replied lowly, his tone heavy with obvious regret. "THINGS... DIDN'T WORK ACCORDING TO PLAN."

"Anyone dusted?"

"NO—THANK THE STARS. BUT UNDYNE TOOK BACK THE DOGS AND I AM NOW SHORT SEVERAL CREW MEMBERS. IT WAS NEEDLESSLY DIFFICULT TO RETURN HERE."

"I'm glad you made it," Tabatha murmured, stroking his cheekbone with her thumb before tracing the scar over his eyesocket. "I've missed you...how long can you stay?"

"ONLY A FEW DAYS THIS TIME. METTATON IS WILLING TO TRY A HAND AT PARTNERSHIP AGAIN CONSIDERING HIS OWN CREW TOOK A HIT RECENTLY. HE HAS ARRANGED A MEETING NOT FAR BEYOND HERE FOR LATER THIS WEEK."

"Then we'd best catch up," the Duchess murmured before pressing her lips on his fangs once more.

* * *

"Must you really go?" Tabatha asked, her voice muffled as she buried her face in Papyrus' scarf. The pair were snuggled on the couch and the sun was just setting.

"IT IS FOR THE BEST, DEAREST," he replied. "WE MUST SET SAIL TOMORROW LEST WE MISS MEETING WITH METTATON."

"You know I'll be in here crying when you leave the harbor, right?"

"AS WILL I ONCE I RETIRE TO MY CABIN TOMORROW NIGHT."

The couple rested together in silence before the brunette sat up, looking down at her skeletal lover.

"You need to write to me this time," she ordered. "I'm sick of just waiting for news at every free moment."

"SANS ACTUALLY HAD AN IDEA ABOUT THAT," the pirate captain commented. "HE'S BEEN WORKING ON A PAIR OF CHESTS WITH SHARED SPACE. IF HE PUTS AN OBJECT INTO ONE CHEST, IT WILL APPEAR IN THE OTHER AND CAN BE TAKEN OUT FROM THERE AS WELL."

"Does it work?" Tabatha pressed.

"IT'S STILL ONLY IN ITS EXPERIMENTAL STAGES, BUT THE IDEA SHOWS PROMISE."

"Do you think you could let him stay on the island and continue researching that? It would make communication far easier..." the brunette bit her lip before continuing "...and you wouldn't be inconvenienced by coming here so often."

"MY BROTHER WOULD LIKELY SPEND HIS TIME BEING LAZY WITHOUT MY SUPERVISION AND I WILL NEED HIM AS MY FIRST MATE UNTIL THE CREW EXPANDS AGAIN. AND...IT IS NOT AN INCONVENIENCE TO ME WHEN WE STOP HERE—I FEEL MORE AT EASE SEEING YOUR FACE AND KNOWING YOU ARE ALRIGHT IN THIS WAY."

The two powerful rulers stared into each other's eyes before the lanky skeleton propped himself up onto one elbow to give his lover a brief peck on the lips.  
"I'M SORRY THAT I WORRY YOU," he murmured. "BUT AS OF NOW, THERE IS LITTLE WE CAN DO ABOUT IT."

"I know," she whispered back. "Still, I can't wait for the day when I can wear your ring in public. It will be a long time coming."

"I COULD ALWAYS ABDUCT YOU AGAIN," Papyrus suggested. "MAKE IT SEEM AS THOUGH I FORCED YOUR HAND."

"And risk the whole island trying to assassinate you for the rest of your life? No. We will go about this as planned: you will be our savior, not our enemy, and you will romance me in the public eye so the people will grow to trust you. We must simply wait for the opportunity."

"TO ME, MY LOVE, YOU ARE ALREADY MY QUEEN," the monster crooned. "NO CEREMONY OR WEARING OF MY RING CAN MAKE IT ANY MORE TRUE THAN IT IS."

"You romantic," Tabatha giggled before her smile fell. "There are still suitors seeking my hand. Many are growing determined to have me."

"THEN THEY SHALL FACE MY WRATH," Papyrus snarled. "THE MAGIC THAT PROTECTS YOU WILL SEND THEM BACK TO WHENCE THEY CAME."

"No need to growl," the brunette reprimanded lightly. "So far my absolute lack of returned interest has been enough to discourage them."

"BUT THEY WILL ONLY GROW BOLDER. PERHAPS I _SHOULD_ TAKE YOU WITH ME. WE CAN THINK OF AN EXCUSE."

"Papyrus," Tabatha sighed. "I can handle myself. You know that. Or do I have to put your crew in their places again?"

"I KNOW YOU ARE CAPABLE...YET I STILL WORRY. IT IS THE SAME ON YOUR END, I KNOW."

The couple shared another brief kiss before the Duchess pulled herself from the couch and straightened her skirts.

"I should go to bed now. I don't want to distract you from your nightly work any longer."

"YOU ARE WELCOME TO STAY AND TALK OVER ANY THOUGHTS YOU MAY HAVE—MY WORK CAN WAIT IF IT WILL BRING YOU COMFORT."

"We can speak in the morning. You have things that must be put before my desires; don't worry, I understand."

The young woman strode away from her lover with a dignified pose. Papyrus watched her move behind her screen so she could get out of her dress before he too got to his feet and moved to the desk. Taking a sheet of paper, he began to write figures on the page. He heard her getting dressed and clambering into bed, but dared not to lose his intent focus. Once her breathing had settled into a deep, restful rhythm he stopped his writing. When she did not stir, he took another page and began to write a letter to her.

He was awake for hours, ensuring that every word was perfect and honest, pouring his Soul into the writing. When he was done, he pulled another six folded sheets from his breast pocket, each dated a week apart. Gathering them up and placing them on his human's bedside table, he left another note folded up on top of the pile.  
Tabatha would miss him, he knew, so he would give her his words of love in advance. He had written those six extra letters during moments of missing her at sea, longing to see her face and hear her words himself When she longed for him in turn, there would be another letter to read, something to remember him by. He left no signature to keep the servants from knowing who it was that wrote with such affection to their Mistress, but his handwriting was... distinctive. She would know who had left them for her.

"SOON BELOVED," he whispered as he left her room. "SO VERY SOON..."

* * *

 **Hope this makes up a bit for the dark one-shot I left last time!**

 **And thank you to ChocaSkitz for reviewing! (Swapfell Tabatha is the product of an abusive home and mental illness combined. Yandere is an anime character type that describes a girl who is so in love with her Significant Other that she would do literally anything for him and is obsessed with keeping him to herself. They're generally very violent as well. SF Tabatha is a high-functioning Yandere, so she has more control over her violent tendencies than most. If you need extra examples, go watch the opening to the Yandere Simulator game).**


	10. Cost of the Crown

**This isn't really an official AU, but here Papyrus is a guard-in-training and Tabatha is Queen of a small Human Nation.**

* * *

Papyrus was so nervous his bones were lightly clacking against one another. Of all the monsters of the Royal Guard that had been dispatched to this tiny human kingdom, he was the one who had been selected to remain behind. This young nation had an equally new queen on the throne who had sought an alliance with the kingdom of monsters, hoping for peace rather than the hostility that seemed the default perspective of her race. The guard had come as part of a goodwill gesture, exchanging one young trainee for another from the humans' army. The tall skeleton had never suspected that he would be the one chosen while he still had so much of his own apprenticeship to complete!

As part of his schedule, Papyrus had to meet with the young queen and have a discussion with her as well as a report about what he had learned through training with her own guards. However, it was the first week of being in the human kingdom—there hadn't been much time for him to adjust and he was already late after having gotten lost on the way to the royal study. He had no idea what his fate would entail. According to the stories told among monsters, human royalty could be unforgiving when it came to punishments—even among their own kind.

When he finally found the right set of double doors (they needed a labelling system here!), the trainee guardsman raised a hand to knock before he heard the sound of a lute being played. Not wanting to interrupt—and more than a little curious—he cracked open the door to get a peek.

Seated on a plush armchair was Queen Tabatha of the Humans. She was the one lightly strumming the instrument. Her face was more solemn than Papyrus had ever seen it—she was usually smiling and cheerful. She wasn't looking at where her fingers were playing the chords and instead looked out the window, her eyes upon the darkening night sky.

" _The stars are very beautiful, above the palace walls,_  
 _They shine with equal splendor, still above far humbler halls._  
 _I watch them from my window, but their bright entrancing glow,_  
 _Reminds me of the freedom I gave up so long ago._ "

She gracefully rose to her feet, setting the lute down, and strode over to a hanging mirror that rested above the fireplace. It normally reflected the room, but the royal woman was using it to study her own face as she continued to sing. Her fingers lightly brushed the diadem on balanced on her brown locks.

" _The royal circlet of bright gold rests lightly on my brow,_  
 _I once thought only of the rights this circlet would endow._  
 _But once I took the crown to which I had been schooled and bred,_  
 _I found it heavy on the heart, though light upon the head._ "

Seeming to float, the young queen moved to her desk where there rested a tray of food next to a pile of parchment that probably contained laws and other edicts. Her fingers tenderly brushed over the shape of the plate before straightening one of the papers, lingering meaningfully.

" _Although I am the head of state, in truth I am the least,_  
 _The true Queen knows her people fed, before she sits to feast._  
 _The good Queen knows her people safe, before she takes her rest,_  
 _Thinks twice and thrice and yet again, before she makes request._ "

Leaving the objects alone, she twisted towards the windows again. Papyrus closed the door as far as he was able and watched her cross the floor and fiddle with a latch to the doors leading out to a balcony he hadn't noticed before.

" _For they are all my children, all, that I swore to defend,_  
 _It is my duty to become both Queen and trusted friend—_  
 _And of my children high and low, from beggar to above,_  
 _The dearest are my Heralds, who return my care with love._ "

The queen strode out onto the balcony, moonlight highlighting her in silver. The tall skeleton carefully slipped through the door, watching her sing in a sort of trance. The young woman's gaze was focused on the wall beyond the palace, where patrolled her own guards.

" _The dearest are my Heralds, swift to spring to my command._  
 _Who give me aid and fellowship, who always understand_  
 _That land and people first have needs that I may not deny—_  
 _So I must send my dearest friends to danger—and to die._ "

Leaning against the balcony, the human stared at the ground below, melancholy in her tone.

" _A friend, a love, a child—it matters not, I know indeed,_  
 _That I must sacrifice them all if there should be the need._  
 _They know, and they forgive me—doing more than I require,_  
 _With willing minds and loving hearts go straight to grasp the fire._ "

Papyrus crept to the doorway of the balcony, feeling an aching sympathy come into his Soul as the song became clearly more painful for the young woman to sing.

" _These tears that burn my eyes are all the tears the Queen can't shed,_  
 _The tears I weep in silence as I mourn my Heralds dead._ "

Tilting her head back, Queen Tabatha's gaze landed on the low-hanging moon.

" _Oh gods that dwell beyond the stars, if you can hear my cry..._  
 _And if you have compassion..._  
 _Let me send no more to die!_ "

The song faded into the night and the brunette raised a single hand to her face in a weary manner. Papyrus took another step closer and she suddenly turned around, probably having heard him in the new silence. After a tense moment of each gazing at the other, the human straightened up into proper posture, brushing a loose strand of hair back into place.

"Guardsman," she addressed him. "I didn't hear you come in."

"MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT ANNOUNCING MYSELF, YOUR MAJESTY," the lanky skeleton replied with a bow. "IT'S JUST...I DID NOT WANT TO INTERRUPT YOUR TRULY LOVELY SINGING, EVEN IF IT WAS A BIT SAD."

"Ah, so you heard it…" the young queen sighed. "I really shouldn't be complaining about my station like that; it's selfish—"

"BUT SURELY EVEN THE QUEEN SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE SELFISH SOMETIMES?" the young guardsman interrupted. "YOU ARE NOT PERFECT, AFTER ALL—NO ONE IS, NOT EVEN THE GREAT PAPYRUS."

It occurred to him two seconds too late that he probably shouldn't have cut off the human ruler and that he ought not to have referred to himself by his made-up title. His cheekbones flushed orange at the same time as sweat began to break out along the top of his skull, but before he could apologize, the human let out a small laugh. Completely blindsided, Papyrus froze in place, not sure if her humor was a good or bad sign.

"My apologies; I shouldn't laugh," the brunette tried—and failed—to say without giggling. "It's just...you made quite the face there..."

The laughter did not fade for another minute, the whole time the skeleton waited without breathing, eyes clamped shut, still worried that once she calmed she might reprimand him or...would she punish him? Isn't that what humans did to those who broke the rules?

"Sir? Why are you flinching?"

"I...I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT PUNISH ME FOR INTERRUPTING YOU," Papyrus admitted weakly.

"Punish you? Oh gods above, what did humans do to your people that would give rise to such horror stories? I'm not going to do something so drastic for something as simple as speaking over me. This isn't court where everyone must wait their turn."

The monster cracked open one eyesocket to peek at Queen Tabatha and saw she was frowning. Not an angry frown...it was a sad one.

"HAVE I...HAVE I UPSET YOU, YOUR HIGHNESS?"

"Hm? No; it's an old worry," she reassured him with a wave of her hand. "My race aren't very considerate...not even to one another. It's why there are so many human kingdoms and only one monster. But you have my word, guardsman, that I will not punish you unless you were to do something that endangered me or my subjects. I can't expect you to adhere to human customs and laws without giving you time to adjust."

"Y-YOU ARE VERY KIND, YOUR MAJESTY," Papyrus stuttered out.

"Please, when we are in private you may call me Queen Tabatha. I'm not one for titles...which reminds me, what is your name, guardsman?"

"I AM PAPYRUS. JUST PAPYRUS."

"Ah. What an honor it is to stand in the presence of the Great Papyrus."

She was clearly teasing—she had a sly little smile on her face—but that didn't stop the skeleton from blushing again, nervously playing with the edge of his scarf to distract himself from the embarrassed heat surging through his bones. The Queen laughed again and Papyrus decided he liked that sound: it was warm and meant good things.

"You were supposed to be here for a report, yes?" the young royal asked, bringing her hand up towards her mouth as she thumbed her painted lips. When she received a nod of affirmation, a thoughtful hum escaped her. " I don't feel much for an update right now. What do you say that we instead have a nice long conversation over tea instead?"

"YOU REALLY DON'T MIND?"

"Not at all. I could use a new friend. Someone whose willing to tell me exactly what's what."

"PLEASE, YOUR HIGHNESS, MY CHEEKBONES WILL BE STAINED ORANGE IF YOU CONTINUE LIKE THIS," Papyrus groaned amidst the girlish giggles of the Queen who was far too proud of her own cleverness.

* * *

 ***Throws fluff at audience* HERE! TAKE THE RESULTS OF MY GOOD MOOD! HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!**

 **(legit no shame, my only date today was with Markiplier on YouTube and I was completely okay with getting the Darkiplier ending. I kept giggling like I was five years old...or a rabid fangirl)**

 **Thank you to every one of my four reviewers from last time! Remember, if you'd like to see something, don't hesitate to hit me up!**

 **flaming-couches : (awesome penname btw) I feel like these little stories are sometimes better-developed than the original fic! And I don't know what's gonna happen in the future of this SailFell thing, but I'll probably write up a prequel!**

 **UltimateGamer101 : I didn't know UnderSail was a thing, but the main difference here is everyone are pirates instead of undersea monsters (sans the skelebros **( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) )

 **Guest (2/2/17) : I pretty much agree all the way (I discovered Starset a few weeks ago, so My Demons was an instant yes) except for Undertale. Count on Me is more of their BFF song while their ship themesong would be If My Heart Was A House by Owl City.**

 **blueveins92 : The cuteness didn't break you, did it? That's a lot of gibberish... ;)**


	11. Pure Hostility

**Piratefell/Sailfell AU (prequel to chapter 9)**

* * *

When Papyrus had decided to hold a hostage for ransom, he hadn't been expecting...well, any of this.

Sans had been the one to suggest it. They hadn't gathered much in their raids for quite some time and their finances were strained. However, there were countless wealthy individuals that resided on the island in the Crossbones Pirate's territory. Why not simply take some helpless pup whose daddy would be more than able and willing to hand over their weight in gold?

The abduction had also gone to plan as well: a visiting Duchess was snagged from the largest port in their domain through the shorter brother's potent magic. She was now locked in the brig...but that was just about the only progress they had made.

If there was one thing humans were, it was Determined and _this_ one seemed to have gained a few extra helpings of that trait. Four days and the young woman hadn't said so much as a single word—not even her name. We're she not his prisoner, Papyrus would have been impressed, but with his current position it was nothing more than an annoyance.

A knock came at the door, bringing the tall skeleton to the present. Calling for them to enter, Papyrus rose from his desk, waiting expectantly.  
Dogamy crossed the threshold and removed his hat in a sign of respect.

"I did as you asked, sir," the white canine reported. "She's had no food nor water all day. She still refuses to speak, though I caught her staring at my supper with no small amount of envy."

The Captain hummed to himself thoughtfully, his usual scowl deepening.

"LET HER GO WITHOUT FOR ANOTHER DAY. IF SHE PASSES OUT, THEN YOU MAY GIVE HER A LITTLE WATER TO KEEP HER FROM DYING, BUT NO MORE."  
Dogamy gave a salute and left his leader to his own thoughts as he saw himself out. Papyrus picked up his pen and reached into one of the desk drawers to withdraw a small leather-bound book, dyed a deep red. Dating the first available page, he began to record his thoughts for the day. When he finished with the more informative records, he turned his thoughts to the human in his brig.

 _THE DUCHESS WE HAVE CAPTURED REMAINS STUBBORN. I HAVE ENACTED MEASURES TO BREAK HER WILL, BUT IF SHE DOES NOT BEND SOON I WILL HAVE TO BE MORE...DRASTIC IN WHAT I PERMIT TO HAPPEN TO HER. SANS IS MOST EAGER FOR IT TO PROGRESS TO THAT POINT. PERHAPS I SHOULD TAKE THIS MATTER INTO MY OWN HANDS INSTEAD OF DELEGATING IT TO MY BROTHER, IF ONLY TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE THAT COULD LESSEN THE RANSOM PAYMENT._

* * *

It was well after midnight and Sans was on watch in the brig. The human was pretending to sleep, but he could see her raise up her head to check where he was and heard how often she shifted on the hard wooden floor. His own feigned slumber did not seem to put her at ease and he noticed how she glared at the key ring above his head, silently willing them to fall from the rocking of the ship and slide her way.

Loud footsteps sounded on the steps down to the brig. Sans almost jolted to attention, recognizing that stride as the captain's, but that would blow his cover with the human...not to mention it was possible his boss was counting on him slacking off so he could meet the human in private.

The door swung open and thudded lightly against the back wall. The stocky skeleton did not allow himself to flinch at the sound nor react to the following silence.

"UGH. LAZYBONES," he heard his brother grumble. While grouchy, his tone lacked the usual ire and he simply moved past his (apparently) sleeping sibling. He heard the key ring being lifted off its hook and some fumbling before Papyrus' looming shadow retreated and the cell door creaked open.

Sans finally dared to crack open an eyesocket and watched as the captain stepped into the cell with the human, keys clenched in his fist as he stared down at her still form. Papyrus dropped to one knee and took the human's face in one hand, looking over her appraisingly.

"I KNOW YOU'RE AWAKE, YOUR GRACE," the scarred skeleton remarked almost casually. "YOUR ACTING SKILLS ARE COMMENDABLE, BUT ULTIMATELY FRUITLESS."

The young woman's face twitched into a scowl before her eyes opened and she sat up, removing the captain's hand from her face.

"Well aren't you clever?" she retorted bitingly. Her voice was hoarse from disuse and she seemed to be suppressing a cough through the last word. "What do you want?"

"I BELIEVE THE OTHERS HAVE ALREADY ATTEMPTED TO GET YOUR NAME. I SIMPLY WISHED TO TRY MY LUCK AS WELL."

"So I can be ransomed for more than I'm worth? No one will pay for my safe return, I'll guarantee that."

"THEN THERE SHOULD BE NO ISSUE WITH YOU TELLING ME YOUR NAME."

The noblewoman curled her lip before putting her nose up in the air haughtily. The effect was somewhat ruined when a choked cough escaped her chest and devolved into a fit of them. Papyrus simply watched without sympathy as she tried to regain her breath before rising to his full, intimidating height.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT PIRATES HAVE CAPTURED YOU?" he questioned.

"Seeing as you have to be the captain judging off your fairly clean clothes and I know there are very few skeleton monsters that have their own ships, I'd hazard a guess that you are the Crossbones Pirates," the duchess choked out. "You've raided my island before."

"WE RAID MANY ISLANDS. I DO NOT SEE HOW THAT IS OF CONSEQUENCE."

"We were left destitute by that raid! My people are starving and it is all your fault! You and your selfish monster ways!"

The brunette doubled over to cough once more and Papyrus sighed and made a head motion similar to when one rolls their eyes. Stepping out of the cell, he picked up a bucket of drinking water and returned, dropping it to the floor and slopping the liquid everywhere.

"DRINK," he ordered. "I CAN'T STAND THAT HACKING NOISE."  
The human gave him a fierce glare before dipping her hands into the water and drinking from the small pool that formed between her palms. After several delicate swallows, her hands were drained and she dipped them again. Repeating this process three more times, she wiped her damp fingers on her skirts.

"IF YOU ARE A DUCHESS, SURELY YOU HAVE COFFERS OF GOLD TO YOUR NAME," the tall skeleton reasoned. "WHY NOT SPREAD YOUR WEALTH TO YOUR PEOPLE? I'M SURE YOU HAVE MORE THAN YOU NEED; MOST RULERS DO."

"While you may have the measure of most of my kind, I have always been the odd one," the young woman muttered with no small amount of bitterness. "All I had was spread freely to my people after the robbery and they are still ruined...we are ruined. It's why I was even in that stupid port you kidnapped me from; I was trying to strike a deal with some of the other nobles so I could restore my home to its former prosperity. But I suppose that'll never happen now, will it?"

The brunette glared up at the pirate captain with rage and hate burning in her eyes...but there was also a sadness to her words. The silence between them was deafening as their gazes remained locked. Finally, Papyrus released a huff that was supposed to be a sigh but sounded more irritated than weary.

"I DON'T MUCH CARE FOR YOUR SOB STORY, YOUR GRACE. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, YOU WILL BE RANSOMED, IF NOT BY YOUR CITIZENS THEN BY SOME FRIEND OR FAVOR-SEEKER WITH RESOURCES. HOWEVER, I STILL NEED YOUR NAME BEFORE WE CAN GET THIS OVER WITH-I DON'T LIKE TAKING PRISONERS; THEY'RE ALL USELESS WASTES OF SPACE, FOOD AND CLEAN WATER."

"You already took everything from my lands," the duchess spat. "I won't let you have a single coin more through me!"

"YOU MISUNDERSTAND, YOUR GRACE." The captain's tone had gone dark, threatening. Grown men and monsters alike had cowered before that voice. "I WAS MERELY ASKING AS COMMON COURTESY WOULD DICTATE. I HAVE WAYS TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE WITHOUT FILTERS. TELL ME, DO YOU KNOW WHAT LOOKING AT YOUR SOUL FOR INFORMATION WOULD MEAN?"

The blood draining from the young woman's face was enough to tell the skeleton that yes, she understood the implications of his threat. The rage in her face and body language flared before she leaned back against the cell wall in defeat.

"Tabatha," she mumbled. "Tabatha Strong of Blessed Atoll."

"GOOD GIRL," Papyrus drawled mockingly with a condescending pat on the head. Striding from the cell, he picked up the small metal platter that held the remains of Sans' dinner and strode back to the human, handing it over.

"I'LL ENSURE THAT YOU WILL HAVE BREAKFAST TOMORROW WHEN THE GUARD CHANGES," he promised as she bit into the unblemished side of the apple. "AND IF YOU CAUSE NO TROUBLE, YOU MAY ALSO HAVE A WALK ABOUT THE DECK ."

"How very generous of you," Tabatha replied sardonically. Sans noticed his brother's hands involuntarily coil into fists before he stalked from the cell for the final time, locking it behind him. Returning the key to the ring, he strode out of the brig with a whirl of his scarf and a heavy slam of the door. The human's hostile posture dropped the second the captain was gone and she curled in on herself, defeat in every line of her body.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled into her skirts. "I'm sorry this had to happen. I promised you all I'd make it better...but I've only brought more hardship upon you."

* * *

 **I swear, the whole time I was writing this, my brain was like "let's make Papyrus the Dread Pirate Roberts" and I was just rolling my eyes because as much as I love Westley and that movie, this is my pirate story; i'mma have myself some fun.**

 **Thanks to my reviewers from last time!**

 **Kagayaku Hoshi-chan : Gonna go hug that skele till he's orange for life! Flustered guys are too adorable!**

 **MachUPB : Every time you review, I squee. YOU ARE TOO NICE TO MEEEEE! *internet tackle hugs***

 **UltimateGamer101 : ?:}**

 **TabbyCat : IT'S SO FLUFFY WE ALL GONNA DIE!**

 **GoldGuardian2418 : YES. PURE CINNAMON ROLLS HERE.**

 **: I don't know much about Outertale, but I'll give it a shot! Would you prefer there to be a song involved in the body of the chapter or no (because I have two ways I could go with this)?**


	12. Caretaker

**Mafiatale AU (same premise as chapter 4)**

* * *

Papyrus woke abruptly, every sense on fire as he tried to determine what was wrong. It took a moment before he realized that what had disturbed his rest had merely been Tabatha leaving their bed in quite a hurry. A glance at the clock conformed that is was still the early hours of the morning and he tilted his skull in slight confusion. Why had she suddenly left?

Swinging his legs around, the lanky monster got to his feet and followed after his wife, seeing the light on in the bathroom through the open door. As he strode down the hall, he heard a truly wretched noise come from within and prompt ran to cover the remaining distance. What he saw was his human partner kneeling on the floor, head resting on the bowl of the toilet, panting and sweaty.

"BELOVED?" he questioned, trying to keep his voice low for the sake of the other sleeping inhabitants of the manor.

"Hurgh...sorry I woke you," the brunette apologized, shivering as she twisted around. "Just...felt really sick all of a sudden."

"DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE FLU?" Papyrus had very little experience with human sickness, but he had heard of a few that could cause such symptoms."

"M-maybe," Tabatha managed to choke out before she twisted back around, her whole body convulsing violently as she vomited a second time. Helpless to do more than hold her hair back so it didn't get filthy, Papyrus stroked her back and murmured comforting words while his lover struggled to fight down her sickness and stop shaking from the exertion.

"DO YOU THINK YOU ARE ALRIGHT TO RETURN TO BED NOW?" he dared ask when she slumped backwards against him, completely spent.

"I-I think so," his wife breathed out shakily. "But it m-might not be over."

"NEVER FEAR, MY LOVE," the skeleton declared gently, taking her up in his arms. "I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL TEND TO YOU. SHOULD YOU WANT OR NEED ANYTHING, SIMPLY ASK. YOU MUST REST. WE WILL SEE DOCTOR ALPHYS IN THE MORNING TO EVALUATE YOUR CONDITION."

"You're too good to me," Tabatha sighed, snuggling into his embrace as he carried her from the room back to their bed and gently laid her down.

"NOTHING IS TOO GOOD FOR THE AMAZING MRS. SKELETON," was the cheeky reply he gave, nuzzling his forehead against hers as he tucked her between the sheets. "I WOULD GIVE YOU THE STARS THEMSELVES IF YOU ASKED FOR THEM."

"I think I'll settle for snuggles," the brunette murmured, eyes drifting shut.

"THEN YOU SHALL HAVE THEM."

* * *

Papyrus and Tabatha sat waiting outside the smaller of the basement labs for the final results of Alphys' testing. The small monster often felt rushed when anyone was in the room with her and was prone to nervous mistakes, so it was customary to give her space when coming for her advice. Of course it had been close to twenty minutes so either she was rechecking her math for the fifth time or-

The door opened and the fidgeting scientist poked her head outside.

"O-okay, I've g-got some results. Come on I-I'm."

Tabatha let her husband help her up, still feeling a little nauseous and not trusting her feet. Insisting that she take the only other chair in the office, Papyrus stood behind his beloved human with his hands on her shoulders in support.

"W-well I don't really know h-how to say this..." Alphys hedged nervously.

"PLEASE, BE DIRECT," the skeleton insisted. "IF THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WE NEED TO KNOW."

"Th-that's the problem," the reptilian monster sighed. "I c-couldn't find anything wrong. Not ph-physically a-anyway."

"What are you saying?" Tabatha pressed. "That it's something wrong with my Soul?"

"I-I'm not the most knowledgeable with hu-human Souls. Th-the most I can tell is that your body is reacting to a ch-change in your S-Soul, b-but I don't know if it's good or bad."

"WHAT DO YOU PROPOSE WE DO?"

"D-doctor Gaster w-would probably be able t-to diagnose the sh-shift since humans a-are his area of expertise, b-but other than that, I don't know."

Papyrus wrapped his arms around his wife, whether to comfort himself or her it was hard to tell. She had taken the news fairly well, though the concern in her features was not unwarranted. She may or may not have a problem right down to the core of her being -they was no small matter. Yet nothing was confirmed yet; there was still a chance it was just a minor thing.

But all the same, it was time to see the expert and get his opinion.

* * *

Gaster was in his office when the couple knocked on the door, opening it for them with one of his many magical hands so he could finish adding some powder to one of his mixtures.

"IS THIS A BAD TIME, FATHER?" Papyrus asked. "WE CAN LEAVE IF YOU ARE BUSY."

"Not at all; I was just finishing this drug for our next interrogation," was the smooth answer. "Have a seat."

Like in Alphys' office, there was only one extra chair, but rather than stand behind her, this time the tall skeleton sat and took his wife onto his lap. Gaster stuck a stopper in his beaker of chemicals before straightening his lab coat and sitting up with better posture.

"What may I do for you two?" he asked, tone warm.

"THERE IS SOMETHING STRANGE HAPPENING WITH TABATHA," Papyrus hastened to explain. "SHE HAS BEEN FEELING ILL, BUT WHEN WE WENT TO DOCTOR ALPHYS, SHE DETERMINED THERE WAS NOTHING PHYSICALLY WRONG."

"Ah," Gaster nodded in understanding. "You would like me to examine her Soul then?"

"Yes and you have my consent," Tabatha affirmed, familiar with the process. "Do you want to go out to the lab or..."  
"This is sufficient for a primary evaluation. It will only take a minute, so it would be foolish to move."

Shedding his white coat and leaving it on the back of his chair, Gaster stepped around his desk, rolling up his sleeves as Papyrus linked hands with his beloved in a gesture of support. The Soul-summoning happened swiftly enough, Tabatha's kind essence floating freely, the bottom tip nearly dipping through the hole in Gaster's palm.  
Visually, nothing was wrong, but the furrowing of the scientist's bony brow suggested otherwise. The green Soul pulsed with anxiety and Gaster frowned slightly.

"I need you to remain calm, please," he requested with a touch of irritation. "It is hard to tell what I am seeing if your emotions interfere."

"Sorry," the human mumbled, taking several deep breaths to try settling herself. Her husband nuzzled his nasal bone against her cheek and began to murmur soothing words which calmed her fears enough that her Soul ceased the panicked beat.

It took several minutes before Gaster seemed satisfied with his examination and released the green energy. Folding his arms and leaning against his desk, he gathered his words.

"Tabatha, how long ago was the first day of your last menstrual cycle?"

Caught off guard, it took the human nearly a minute to answer.

"Uh, a little more than two weeks ago?"

"And...you and Papyrus are actively...having relations? Involving bodies and Souls both?"

"Yes...Gaster, what is going on?"

"There isn't much conclusive evidence yet as I have never seen such Soul changes within a human before," the scientist mused, "but if my suspicions are correct...then I believe the two of you may be expecting a child."

The whole world seemed to hold its breath, then...

"IS...IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?!" Papyrus burst suddenly. "I THOUGHT HUMANS AND MONSTERS WERE... INCOMPATIBLE IN THAT REGARD!"

"I will need to monitor the situation for some time to truly confirm my theory, but perhaps through you two merely being with one another has _made_ you compatible. Tabatha's magic concentration has spiked, meaning that she has either absorbed quite a bit through direct magical contact or is retaining higher levels maintain the life of an unformed half-magic being. The morning sickness also supports my belief in her pregnancy."

"A child..." Tabatha breathed, one hand dropping to her stomach. "I never thought..."

"I COULD BE A FATHER!" her husband burst. "OH STARS! A CHILD?! THIS IS THE MOST WONDERFUL OF NEWS!"

"Settle down, Papyrus," Gaster remarked in a fatherly way. "I don't need to remind you two that a hybrid between our races is unheard of. This is going to be unlike anything I or anyone has ever seen before, so I have no idea what to expect. I'm afraid that until we recognize patterns and how this conception is received you will not be permitted to work in the field any longer. I will inform Don Asgore as to what has occurred. Do not be surprised if he begins to smother you with luxuries-he tends to get...excited about such things."

Tabatha nodded, still in obvious shock as she slowly got to her feet. Papyrus was equally silent, but his excitement was clearly visible in his wider-than-usual grin. The pair left the office without another word, but Gaster could clearly hear the rapid-fire words coming from his younger son from the other side of the door, asking his human partner if they should tell Sans and when and how they should go about it. The old scientist chuckled to himself as he busied himself with cleaning up the serum he'd been making, an extra pair of magical hands going to his bookshelf to retrieve one of his journals. Once the desk space was clear, he picked up a pen and began to write in his symbolic language.

 _Tabatha came in today. Her Soul indicated a sharp increase of magical concentration and I detected the beginnings of a mutual energy flow in the bond she shares with Papyrus. The usage of my newest compound in her food and water has delivered the desired results: conception has occurred. I had begun to fear that even with enhanced reception to magic Tabatha would be incapable of carrying a half-monster child. My fears have been put to rest; I now can look forward to my grandchild's arrival and continue to monitor both their development and what changes Tabatha will experience both physically and Soulfully._

* * *

 **I generally don't think about these two having kids (magical/biological logistics and all that), but gosh dangit this plot bunny seized all my writing attention. I love people getting excited over pregnancy news.**

 **Also, thanks to "sans" for the review!**


	13. Zero Gravity

**Outertale AU (requested by M. McKnew)**

* * *

"C'mon, please?"

"NO! IT IS INCREDIBLY RISKY TO DO THAT AND I DON;T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU DRIFT TOO FAR!"

"Paps, I believe in you-you're not gonna let me float away."

Papyrus tossed his constellation-patterned scarf over his shoulder, looking at his girlfriend with exasperation. Tabatha looked quite childlike with her pout and clasped hands, but he wasn't about to be swayed by her adorableness!

"I AM NOT GOING TO RELEASE THE GRAVITY MAGIC!" he insisted for about the fifth time. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU SLIP OUT OF THE CORE'S GRAVITY FIELD! IT'S NOT LIKE WHEN WE HAD THE BARRIER PREVENTING ANYONE FROM MOVING OUTSIDE THE AIR POCKET. FOR ALL I KNOW, YOU WOULD JUST FLOAT ON THROUGH AND BE LOST!"

"I know you wouldn't let that happen," the brunette teased, taking the skeleton's hand in her own and kissing the back of his glove. "The Great and Stellar Papyrus is too vigilant to let his lady love roam into danger."

"WELL...WHAT YOU SAY IS TRUE, BUT..." the lanky monster shifted awkwardly, a galaxy blush across his cheekbones. He then seemed to snap back to reality and raised a stern finger at her. "HEY! IT'S NOT FAIR WHEN YOU USE YOUR CONSIDERABLE FEMININE CHARMS ON ME! YOU KNOW THAT FLATTERY IS MY ONE WEAKNESS! WELL THAT AND MY SIGNATURE DISH..."

The young woman seemed to realize her case would not succeed and sighed, hands going to her hips.

"Alright," she conceded. "Then can we go to Starfall again? I want to look at the cycling waterfalls again and the reflecting pools...ooh, or maybe the overlook!"

"DO YOU NOT THINK STARRIN TO BE JUST AS BEAUTIFUL?" Papyrus asked, his tone hinting at how her clear preference nipped at his pride. Tabatha rolled her eyes affectionately.

"It has its charm, but I find it just too cold all the time! My toes are freezing after just an hour!"

HM...YES, STARFALL IS MORE TEMPERATE...COME THEN, MY LOVE! LET US DEPART AT ONCE! I KNOW JUST THE SPOT WHERE WE CAN SEE THE CYCLES OF THE WATERFALLS!"

The brunette giggled as the galactic officer to-be grabbed her hand and marched off, snow crunching under their boots and slowly descending back down from where it was kicked up. They passed through the rest of town fairly swiftly, only pausing to admire the gyftmas lights that decorated the skelebros former house before they rushed to the bridge that crossed the gap between the two asteroids. Tabatha paused when she was about halfway across and peered down off the edge.

"Holy crap, that's scary," she commented, staring down into the starry abyss below. "It literally goes on forever..."

"YOU WOULD LIKELY LAND ON ONE OF THE SMALLER ASTEROIDS THAT DRIFT BELOW THE FIVE MAIN CLUSTERS," her boyfriend added, leaning over himself to get a look. "YOUR CELL PHONE IS ENHANCED WITH MONSTER TECHNOLOGY, SO YOU WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO CALL FOR HELP AND SOME GALACTIC OFFICERS WOULD BE ABLE TO GET YOU BACK UP SAFELY. YOU'D BE FLOATING IN THE LOWER GRAVITY, BUT YOU WOULDN'T BE VERY FAR AT ALL."

"It's easy to forget gravity doesn't work out here like it does at home," the young woman mused. "If this was like Earth, I'd fall forever into the void..."

Papyrus shifted a bit uncomfortably before suggesting they move on. His girlfriend agreed and they finished their crossing in moist air of Starfall teased their senses with sounds and the sensation of soothing coolness which felt almost warm compared to the frigid atmosphere of the previous asteroid cluster. The towering skeleton's energy returned as their feet squished on the damp grass that flourished on the nutrient-rich surface of the space rock beneath their feet. He proudly named each of the falls they passed, as well as the more significant pools that reflected the stars above.

"THIS IS THE BIGGEST OF THE FALLS!" he proclaimed when they finally neared their destination. "IT IS USUALLY CALLED THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, BUT I HAPPEN TO KNOW OF A PLACE THAT IS A BIT BETTER!"

The excited monster jogged of to the side where a patch of echo flowers grew. Hidden in one of the walls was a crevice just wide enough to fit through, which Papyrus did with had to wriggle a bit before she could make it but once she did, her jaw just about hit the ground.

The open-air cavern in which they stood had not one, not two, but three waterfalls and the ground was carpeted with echo flowers to the point of being unable to see below the luminescent petals. They all shared the same source, but trickled down off the wall in different paths, reflecting the glow of the stars and the foliage in different patterns. The three trails all rejoined as they spilled into a large reflecting pool that was clear enough to act as a mirror.

"Oh my gosh," Tabatha breathed, hand over her mouth. Her eyes were wide as she took it all in. "Paps...this is..."

"I KNOW." His voice was reverent, significantly quieter than his usual volume-enough so that, while still easily audible, he didn't disturb the peaceful scene. "IT IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE."

"How did you find this?"

"IT WAS WHEN SANS AND I WERE VERY LITTLE; HE WANTED TO GO TO THE OVERLOOK WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE PALACE SINCE SOMETIMES EARTH IS VISIBLE FROM SPECIAL SPOTS. I GOT BORED WAITING TO SEE THE PLANET, SO I WENT EXPLORING AND STARTED PLAYING IN THE ECHO FLOWERS. I FOUND THE OPENING AND CAME THROUGH TO THIS BEAUTIFUL SIGHT! EVER SINCE THEN, IT'S BEEN MY SECRET PLACE FOR WHEN I NEED TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT-IT CAN BE EASY TO FORGET THAT WHEN THE ASTEROIDS FLY AROUND THE SOLAR SYSTEM AT TOP SPEED ALL THE TIME."

Tabatha chuckled and strode to the center of the flower field, turning in a circle to take it all in before she fell back into the flowers.

"It's so beautiful," she murmured.

 _It's so beautiful...It's so beautiful_ the echo flowers repeated, carrying her words out like a ripple. Papayrus slowly picked his way through the gleaming plants and laid down next to her, a contented smile on his face. All around, the flowers whispered what they'd heard, barely audible and hissing like a light wind. Water dripped into the pool in a soothing rhythm. The skeleton's gloved hand reached out to his human's and their fingers locked as they stared at the stars. Everything seemed to fade away as the pair stared into eternity, their entire sense of self fading as they felt like tiny specks amidst the larger universe. Temporary. Fleeting.

Tabatha's gentle laugh broke the spell. Papyrus turned to look at her and she stared back with wonderment in her dark eyes.

"We're floating," she giggled. The young skeleton jolted upright only to realize she was right: they were hovering perhaps ten feet off the ground, suspended without his gravity magic to hold them down.

"...DO YOU WANT TO GO BACK DOWN?" he asked, adjusting his body so he stood vertical.

"No," the brunette sighed, her ponytail billowing like she was underwater as she too straightened. " I wanna stay up here in the stars...with you."

No more words needed to be said as Papyrus wrapped his arms around his beloved, her returning the embrace with equal fierceness. Her lips pressed against his teeth and he leaned into the kiss. Even gravity magic couldn't have secured him to the ground now: he was flying high, knowing her love was what really kept him anchored every day."

* * *

 **And here it is! My first ever request fill is now finished! Took longer than expected because my original draft was deleted. Hope you like it, M. McKnew!**

 **And here's a quick shout out to the reviewers!**

 **Kagayaku Hoshi-chan : That is quite the skill you have...for all you knew, this could have just been a cuddle "human-is-sick fic". But the cuteness and pure fluff is the entire reason why I wrote it in the first place. *internal squee* Though, let's be honest: if there was even the slightest chance Gaster would be able to observe a human/monster hybrid, he would _so_ jump on it. In a darker AU, he could be terrifying with that scientific curiosity.**

 **TabbyCat : The headcanons are so real. Their baby even has a name and rough image in my head.**

 **GoldGuardian2418 : (See what I told Kagayaku for some extra throughts) Gaster may be Papyrus' father/father figure, but that doesn't mean the younger skele and his wife aren't fair game in the name of almighty science!**


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